Rye Cricket Club have pulled off a major coup: the signing of bowler Kshemal Waingankar, who has often scuppered the innings of touring English batsmen. More than that, he will also be coaching the local Colts

Our weekly look ahead to the films in Rye – at the Kino and our local film club. Our movie of the week, pictured above: “A most wanted man” at the film club on Conduit Hill. Inside, click on a movie title to see a trailer. Neale East reports . . .

They are creatures of stealth, silent unless staking out territory or calling for a mate and flying so soundlessly that their prey – and we humans – are usually unaware of them. But Rye has a resident population of three varieties of owl and, in winter, they are joined by their short- and long-eared cousins

The county council has employed new technology to help keep our roads in good order. Jetpatcher, a device that cleans out crevices with a blast of high-pressure air before filling them, enabled more than twice as many repairs to be completed in the last three months of the year, at a fraction of the cost

Humans tend to rely on forward vision, but our peripheral vision is far more sensitive to differences in light and dark and to movement. By developing this skill, our sensory perception can become greatly enriched – as martial artists have known for a long time and sportsmen and public speakers are discovering

Rye Bay had their first game of 2015 away to Hastings Wanderers – and what a start to the new year! It was the best performance from the Rye Bay boys I have seen. Technically, the team lost, but they also won on so many different levels

Despite being a winner in the Beautiful South awards, the Tourist Information Centre in Lion Street won’t be able to compete in the nationwide competition as by then it will have closed down. Sad news for the staff and their supporters, but it does mean there are some bargains to be picked up before the last day of opening on March 7

Warm welcome for WI blankets

January 26 2015.

The “knit and natter” group of the Landgate Womens’ Institute, which meets once a month, gets a lot of knitting done among all the nattering, writes Joan Jones. Last Monday (January 26) members presented hospital care assistants Mandy Martin, Philippa Parker and Sheila Caister with eight blankets they had knitted for the comfort of patients at Rye, Winchelsea and District Memorial Hospital. Mandy Martin accepted the blankets on behalf of the hospital and congratulated Landgate WI on their valiant effort. She said the blankets will be warmly welcomed by patients, who will take them home when they leave the hospital.

Commuter Paul Barker doesn’t take a bad service standing up – not on a cold, wintry platform at 6am. When Rye’s diesel shuttle service went awry earlier this month, he started a twitter account specifically to give fellow travellers a voice and to spread the word. He describes here why he wants you to follow . . .

A large cheque was distributed between 10 deserving groups earlier this week, when members of the Rye Fund and its awards panel joined the most recent recipients of its annual grants for a celebration at the town hall

Rye rejoiced when plans were approved for a modern development of shops and new homes on the site of the town centre’s eyesore in Cinque Ports Street. Now there is acrimony as residents and others accuse the developers of making unauthorised changes to the works and of showing a blatant disrespect for planning approval

Straight out of a storybook

January 29 2015.

The property section of The Daily Telegraph has been reviewing the country’s prettiest streets and, in her article of January 24, Caroline McGhie has summarised the top 10. First on the list is Mermaid Street, which McGhie describes as “storybook lovely”. You can read her article here.

The future for Rye Cricket Club looks secure as it is on the brink of making a major step forward with the granting in principle of a 99-year lease on the pavilion. Martin Blincow reports here on the club’s annual meeting

It was the talk of the town: a poor, poor show last December. Too much fell on too few shoulders. But Rye’s mayor and her citizens want to go to the ball again. Together they will forge a new, brighter, dreamy Xmas that we can all be proud of. Derick Holman and the town clerk give us the inside story

Could you be a first responder?

January 29 2015.

Rother Responders is a local community first responder scheme operated by a team of volunteers who have been trained to respond to emergency calls through the 999 system in conjunction with the ambulance service. Tracy Pepler, team leader said: “We have responders in Rye, Camber, Peasmarsh, Northiam, Beckley, Icklesham and Staplecross ready to respond to emergency calls in their local and surrounding communities. We would like to express a big thank you to all those who have supported us so far. Rother Responders are hoping to expand further and we are looking to hear from people who might be interested in joining this voluntary group and who live in the rural communities where we do not currently have responder coverage.” To find out more and check eligibility, visit the website or contact them.

It wasn’t just mothers downing their ruin at the first “Rye News” sloe gin competition. Expert judges sampled eight modern and vintage local brews and such a good time was had that a repeat performance next year was promptly ordered – hic!

Want to get a cup of tea in Winchelsea? Forget it. There is no longer a tea room in town. The latest closure continues the downward spiral of the businesses operated by Winchelsea Farm Foods, a trading subsidiary of a charity run by local retired hedge fund manager Stephen Rumsey

Sewer work has destroyed the footpath that runs along the middle of the valley between Rye and Winchelsea. The route was the favourite walk of Henry James, writer and famous erstwhile occupant of Lamb House

Donations of warm winter clothes for refugees in the Kurdistan area of Iraq are mounting up almost as quickly as volunteers can sort and pack them ready for the trucks that will head for the camps in the coming weeks

Neighbouring residents have long supported the need to develop the unsightly plot in Cinque Ports Street and participated constructively in the original consultations with the architect. But what do they think of the planning process now? One of them explains

Indoor cricket resumes with Rye top

January 22 2015.

After a great start to the indoor cricket season Rye Cricket Club are looking to build on their position when the season resumes on Thursday (January 29) at Horntye park in Hastings, writes Dan Lake. Rye currently sit unbeaten at the top of the table with six points (three wins); Hastings & St Leonards Priory 3rd and 4th indoor midweek teams both have four points (two wins, one lost); Parkhurst CC (three lost) and Netherfield (two played and lost) have no points. Rye face Parkhurst CC at 7pm. The club will be holding their annual general meeting this Sunday at 7pm at The Mermaid Inn.

Get Involved

Our Rye News project

Rye’s online newspaper is here to showcase what is positive about our town and the villages about us. Within our area, a wide circle of about eight miles, Rye News represents an open invitation to all residents, businesses and voluntary organisations to keep us all informed. Our lives, our history, our landscape are all special. To us and to those thousands of visitors who come here each year.

To do that this project needs volunteers to come forward. To become reporters, photographers and sub-editors. To help us all to realise the full potential of this project. With your help, it’s a goer!